Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-10-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

You have a bicycle that you are no longer using. You would like to sell it to a friend.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter
• explain why you are no longer using your bicycle.
• describe your bicycle.
• explain why you think your friend would like to have it.

You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

Dear _________,

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Dear Paul,

I hope you are doing great. I saw you put an ad on Facebook, regarding a bicycle purchase. Unfortunately, I am moving to Manchester next month and want to sell my bicycle, because I am planning to use public transport, as my university is at 2 hrs distance from my residence, so it would be spared.

My bicycle looks like new and it has all the modern features, Moreover, it has comfortable seats with a front basket attached for groceries and fruits. In addition , front and back lights make it useable during night time.

I think this bicycle will be good for you both from economy

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response only partially addresses the prompt requirements, primarily due to the length requirement not being met as the text is cut off mid-sentence at 109 words, falling short of the 150-word minimum. While the writer manages to touch upon why the bicycle is no longer needed (moving to Manchester and using public transport) and provides some description of the bicycle (new condition, comfortable seats, front basket, lights), the final bullet point regarding why the friend would like to have it is left incomplete. The tone is appropriately informal for a letter to a friend, but the incomplete nature of the response limits the development of ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

There is a coherent overall arrangement and the letter opens and closes with appropriate informal conventions. Paragraphing is used to separate the different points of the letter. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical, with simple linking words like 'Moreover' and 'In addition' used rigidly. Referencing is generally clear, but the sudden cutoff at the end disrupts the logical progression of the text, preventing a smooth conclusion to the message.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The lexical resource is adequate for the task, demonstrating a minimally acceptable range of vocabulary for everyday topics. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'public transport' and 'modern features', but there are noticeable errors in word choice and expression, such as 'at 2 hrs distance' and 'so it would be spared', which affect naturalness. Spelling is generally accurate, but the overall lexical control sits comfortably at a moderate level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a mix of simple and some complex sentence forms, such as the dependent clause in 'Unfortunately, I am moving to Manchester next month...'. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, including unnecessary spaces and awkward phrasing like 'purchase' instead of 'sale', alongside punctuation slips around commas. However, these errors do not heavily impede communication, though the frequency of structural awkwardness keeps the score at this level.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.